WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College volleyball will open KCAC play Saturday before closing the day with a nonconference matchup as the Builders travel to AGFinancial Arena in Springfield, Missouri for a tri-match against Evangel University and Stephens College.

Southwestern (4-4) (0-0) will face Evangel (6-7) (0-0) at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, before returning to the court at 11:30 a.m. to face Stephens (1-8) (0-1). The meeting with Evangel will serve as the Builders' conference opener, while the match against Stephens will be a nonconference contest.

The Builders enter Saturday coming off a 3-0 road victory over Randall University on Tuesday in Moore, Oklahoma. Southwestern defeated the Saints 25-20, 25-23, 26-24 to improve to 4-4 overall. The win was Southwestern's third victory in its past four matches.

Through 32 sets, Southwestern has recorded 341 kills while hitting .150 as a team. The Builders average 10.66 kills, 9.88 assists, 2.06 service aces, 15.41 digs and 1.13 blocks per set.

Macey Collier leads Southwestern with 64 kills while hitting .283 and has added a team-high 19 total blocks. Kamryn Deffebaugh follows with 57 kills and averages 2.11 per set, while Charli Richardson has recorded 45 kills.

Mikki Johnson has produced 39 kills in 16 sets for a team-best 2.44 kills per set. Natalie Blaufuss directs the offense with a team-high 150 assists, averaging 4.69 per set, while Ayden Joely-Petroff has contributed 81 assists. Blaufuss and Joely-Petroff share the team lead with 14 service aces a piece.

Defensively, Brooklyn Milleson leads Southwestern with 127 digs and averages 3.97 per set. Ariel Heinrich has added 80 digs, while Blaufuss has 64. Collier and Haleigh Weber provide a strong presence at the net, combining for 34 total blocks. Weber has also recorded 35 kills while hitting .263.

Game 1: Southwestern vs. Evangel

The Builders will open KCAC play at 9:30 a.m. against Evangel.

Evangel has recorded 577 kills through 52 sets, averaging 11.10 kills per set while hitting .147. The Valor also average 10.27 assists, 1.29 service aces, 17.19 digs and 1.69 blocks per set.

Ashya Thompson leads Evangel offensively with 110 kills and averages 2.29 kills per set. Charlotte Hawkins follows with 105 kills and a .244 hitting percentage, while Simone Johnson has recorded 99 kills and is hitting .197. Cienna Turner has added 93 kills.

Evangel's front-row play has been one of its strengths. Abby Ferguson leads the Valor with 40 total blocks, while Hawkins has recorded 38. Ferguson has also been efficient offensively, hitting .255 with 38 kills.

Jessica Pritchett has contributed throughout the rotation for Evangel. She leads the Valor with 219 assists and 18 service aces while also recording 82 kills and 143 digs. Brooklyn Claxton has added 167 assists and averages 4.51 per set.

Defensively, Addison Jones leads Evangel with 215 digs and averages 4.13 per set. The Valor's ability to defend the floor and block at the net could force Southwestern to remain patient offensively and find multiple ways to finish points.

The service and reception game could also play an important role. Southwestern has recorded 66 aces through eight matches, averaging 2.06 per set, while Evangel has allowed 92 aces through 13 matches. The Builders will look to use serving pressure to disrupt Evangel's offense and prevent the Valor from establishing a consistent attack.

Saturday will also give Southwestern an opportunity to reverse the result of last season's meeting.

Evangel swept Southwestern 25-17, 25-23, 25-22 on Oct. 15, 2025, at Stewart Fieldhouse. Despite the loss, the Builders hit .226, compared with .230 for the Valor.

Bennett recorded nine kills and hit .368 in the previous meeting, while Johnson finished with eight kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Collier added four kills while hitting .273. Blaufuss recorded 18 assists and six digs.

Game 2: Southwestern vs. Stephens

Southwestern will have a quick turnaround following its conference opener, returning to the court at 11:30 a.m. for a nonconference matchup against Stephens College.

Stephens has recorded 288 kills through 35 sets, averaging 8.23 kills per set while hitting .067.

The Stars average 7.77 assists, 1.80 service aces, 16.06 digs and 1.40 blocks per set. Opponents are averaging 12.43 kills per set and hitting .191 against Stephens.

Michalina Oles leads the Stephens attack with 76 kills and averages 2.17 per set. She has also recorded 18 service aces and 14 total blocks, making her one of the Stars' top all-around threats.

Anna Bradley has contributed 58 kills, Jocelyn Rios has 53 and Alyssa Jackson has 44. Jackson has also recorded 14 total blocks.

Audrey Dinwiddie has handled the majority of the setting duties, recording 213 assists and averaging 6.66 per set.

Stephens has shown strength from the service line, with Oles and Alanis Francelino recording 18 aces apiece. Danika Brase has added nine aces.

Francelino anchors the Stars' back-row defense with 190 digs and averages 5.43 per set. Her defensive production could force Southwestern to remain patient during extended rallies and spread its attack across multiple options.

Mercedes Britto provides Stephens with its strongest presence at the net, leading the team with 25 total blocks, including 11 solo blocks.

Although Stephens has struggled to turn competitive performances into victories, the Stars have shown an ability to extend matches. Three of their nine contests have gone five sets, including a 3-2 victory over Haskell and a five-set loss to Mission on Tuesday.

Southwestern enters the matchup with an advantage in several offensive categories. The Builders average 10.66 kills per set while hitting .150, compared with Stephens' 8.23 kills per set and .067 hitting percentage. Southwestern also averages 9.88 assists per set, compared with 7.77 for Stephens.

The Stars, however, have shown the ability to create pressure from the service line and defend extended rallies. Southwestern will look to establish its attack early, limit unforced errors and prevent Stephens from gaining momentum through its serving and back-row defense.

Saturday will present two different challenges for the Builders. Evangel brings a balanced attack, strong floor defense and a physical blocking presence into the KCAC opener, while Stephens will look to create pressure with its serving and defensive play.

First serve between Southwestern and Evangel is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday at AGFinancial Arena in Springfield, Missouri. The Builders will return to the court at 11:30 a.m. to face Stephens College.